Hooghalen brings together remembrance culture, radio astronomy, and routes through heathland and forest. This offers several distinct areas of interest: you can learn about the history of the former Kamp Westerbork, view radio telescope dishes from the path, or choose a walk or bike ride. The information offers various points of reference to help you choose a route: the Melkwegpad-Bospad walk is listed as taking around 1.5 hours, while a cycling route is 21 kilometres long. One figure describes the duration, the other the distance—choose whichever type of planning suits you best.

Remembrance and Radio Telescopes

At the historic site of the former Westerbork camp, the Herinneringscentrum Kamp Westerbork tells the story of more than 100,000 people. The centre’s sculpture garden on Oosthalen in Hooghalen, in the municipality of Midden-Drenthe, features the “Bevroren Tranen” memorial. The half-metre-high glass artwork stands on two marble plinths. It commemorates all the Jews, Roma and resistance fighters who were deported via the Westerbork transit camp to concentration camps and never returned.

The Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope is located near Hooghalen, in the area of the former Kamp Westerbork. Ordinary visitors are not allowed onto its grounds; however, they can see the radio telescope dishes from the end of the Melkwegpad. Visitors who are not being hosted by ASTRON are asked to park their cars outside the zone. From the large car park at the Herinneringscentrum Kamp Westerbork, they can continue to the radio telescope on foot or by bicycle. This is an important distinction when planning: the dishes can be viewed from the path, but the grounds themselves are closed to ordinary visitors.

Walking Routes Through Heathland and History

Along the way, the Melkwegpad explains the planets and leads walkers to the former camp site and the radio telescopes. The Melkwegpad-Bospad walk takes around 1.5 hours and passes Hingsteveen. If you would rather focus on heathland than the planets and historical sites, Het Groote Zand offers a varied landscape on the northern edge of the Boswachterij Hooghalen. There is a waymarked walking route there that starts at the car park near the Herinneringscentrum Kamp Westerbork.

Another route option is the final stage of the Westerborkpad: it starts in Hooghalen, is 5.2 kilometres long and ends at the former site of Kamp Westerbork. As route details may change, check the operator’s latest information before setting out. The different routes therefore offer varied points of interest—from a walk with an estimated duration, to a route with explanations about the planets, to a stage with a set start and end point.

Cycling and Other Local Highlights

The 21-kilometre cycling route passes through the Boswachterij Hooghalen, through coniferous and deciduous forests, and alongside heathland, small fen lakes and former areas of drift sand. It is signposted via the Dutch cycle junction network. These landscape features give the route a different focus from the walking trails: here, the emphasis is on forest, heathland and fen lakes along a longer cycling route. The stated distance and signposting make it easy to distinguish this option from the walks described.

The Zandspeelplaats Hooghalen, a large sandy area suitable for picnics and play, is also located on the Melkwegpad in the Boswachterij Hooghalen. Another local cultural connection is Hooghalen’s TT history: the Stichting TT Hooghalen preserves it as intangible cultural heritage for future generations. Together with the remembrance sites, the radio telescope and the landscape trails, this makes Hooghalen a destination with several clearly distinct themes—from history and cultural heritage to walking and cycling routes.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Witteveen, Westerbork, Zwiggelte, Spier, Elp, Hijken, Orvelte and Ruinerwold.

For the overarching travel overview: Midden-Drenthe.